Division of Fish and Wildlife advises wetland visitors on how to avoid spreading disease found in Delaware frogs

DNREC's Division of Fish and Wildlife is advising wetland visitors on how to avoid ranavirus, a disease found in Delaware frogs and known to affect amphibians, reptiles and fish.

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By Staff Reports

Middletown Transcript

By Staff Reports

Posted Mar. 19, 2014 at 3:33 PM

By Staff Reports

Posted Mar. 19, 2014 at 3:33 PM

Dover, Del.

DNREC's Division of Fish and Wildlife is advising wetland visitors on how to avoid ranavirus, a disease found in Delaware frogs and known to affect amphibians, reptiles and fish.

The disease can spread from animal to animal with a minimal amount of contact; one study demonstrated transmission of ranavirus to a healthy salamander after just seconds of contact with an infected individual. “The virus can also be spread via water, in soil and on the boots, nets and gear of humans,”said Holly Niederriter, wildlife biologist with the Species Conservation and Research Program.

Here are some ways to disinfect gear and protect wildlife:

- Clear debris from boots/nets/gear (scrape off mud/debris and spray with water)

- Spray with five percent beach/water solution (minimum concentration) - leave on for five minutes

- Rinse boot/nets/gear with water to remove bleach

- If possible, lay boots/nets/gear out in sun when you get home. Desiccation helps kill some pathogens; ,ove at least 60 yards from the wetland before spraying with bleach solution